The Gaping Hole Inside Me
by Damonficgirl
Summary: Set after the season 2 cliffhanger. Nathan's rash actions result and dramatic and kind of hilarious consequences. I just love these characters!


**The Gaping Hole Inside Me**

Warning – I hate swearing but I had to use a little, the situation called for it!

Setting: Right after the season 2 cliff-hanger – Audrey has been kidnapped, Nathan thinks Duke is responsible, hot-headed male stupidity ensues.

"You shot me, are you fucking crazy? NATHAN I DON'T HAVE AUDREY!" Duke screamed before letting out a string of curse words. "And I would love to help you find her but now I have to get to the goddam hospital you idiot." It was the moment when Duke actually dropped his own gun and so he could grip his bleeding shoulder that brought Nathan to his senses.

"What the fuck where you thinking Nathan? I'm on your side, I'll always be on your side. If you haven't noticed yet, even though Audrey is pretty much in love with you, I kind of have a thing for her too and while we're just friends and all I'm hardly going to kidnap her just because my idiot father – who I didn't even like, let alone listen to, when he was alive, tells me too. Are YOU THE MOST STUPID FREAKING IDIOT ON THIS PLANET? ARGH! IT HURTS."

Nathan stood numbly, while he regretted that he'd shot Duke, and knew that was probably going to be difficult to explain when the time came to fill out the paperwork, his real shock came not from the realisation that he'd almost killed his childhood friend, but from the realisation that Duke had been set up and that by coming here he had given whoever had taken Audrey yet more time to get away with her, to do god knows what with her, and he had no idea where she was.

"I get that you don't feel pain, but I do, and this hurts, this really, really hurts, you owe me one Wournos, you owe me big time. You are officially going to have to forgive me for every shitty little thing I ever did to you, because YOU SHOT ME!" Duke reeled.

"Shut up Duke, Audrey's in trouble, whoever framed her still has her, I'm guessing it might be the Rev's followers, it's a crappy start but it's all we've got to go on. I shouldn't have wasted time coming here, now you need to shut up and put up, finding Audrey is more important."

"I really want to agree with you BUT THERE'S A CHANCE THAT I'M BLEEDING TO DEATH!"

"Fine, where's your first aid kit?" Nathan asked. Duke pointed and Nathan passed Duke a half-empty bottle of bourbon. "Drink this and hold still while I bandage you. This is going to hurt."

"No kidding," Duke deadpanned.

Nathan gave Duke a board expression. In minutes the shoulder wound was bandaged. Despite all his whinging Nathan was pretty sure it was a flesh wound. Nathan had been too close to miss but he hadn't shot to kill and in the last moment before he'd pulled the trigger Duke had moved just enough to ensure that the shot aimed to debilitate Duke while Nathan forced a confession out of him, had cut across the top of the shoulder and hadn't affected any major arteries. Part of Nathan was surprised that Duke hadn't shot him back. He always thought of himself as the sensible one but some dim rational part of his brain considered the idea that the moment Audrey was abducted Duke became the saner one. Nathan was literally going out his mind worrying about her.

"That'll have to do. Call 911, I've got to go," Nathan instructed.

"Whoa, slow down, I'm coming with you," Duke protested.

"You're hurt, bleeding, and drunk. You'll slow me down. You'll get me killed."

"You forget I'm Mr Kill-All-The-Troubled-Folks, maybe that creepy knife from my Dad will help, and anyways you need backup and you're not the only idiot in this town willing to get themselves killed for Audrey Parker. I'm coming with you and you're going to let me because 1 you shot me 2 you know that I mean it. If it's down to Audrey or me, save her, no argument from me. But if there is a chance in hell I can help, you need me."

"Whatever," Nathan conceded. He didn't have time for this. Audrey needed him. "Try not to get blood in my truck."

**A/N: I've been reading some great fanfic on here and I just had to write this little one-shot in honour of the love these boys have for Audrey, and the mostly hidden affection they have for each other. They three of them have really become a family of sorts (after all none of them have any other family anymore). I'm really looking forward to see where the writers take that cliff hanger but the idea came to me of Duke being the one to stay calm and Nathan being the one who lost it and I just wanted to play with that idea. I hope you liked it. **

**Disclaimer – as usual I sadly own nothing. **


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